


Perchance to Dream

by 4ce_in_sp4ce



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, eames is a romantic, like tooth-rottingly sweet fluff, they are soft and in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:26:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4ce_in_sp4ce/pseuds/4ce_in_sp4ce
Summary: Eames admittedly hadn't been a huge fan of Venice the first time he'd visited. With Arthur though? Venice wasbeautiful
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	Perchance to Dream

Weather like this was Eames’ favourite kind to be outside in. It’d been warm- but not hot- all day, with a slight breeze coming in off the water to keep it from getting uncomfortable. It was getting cooler now that the sun was setting, especially with breeze still coming in, but it was still quite comfortable. And even if it wasn’t, Eames would be loath to make Arthur get up from where he was seated between Eames’ legs, leaning back against his chest. 

Arthur shifted slightly, turning the page of the book he was reading. Something horrifically dense and dry about mathematical paradoxes or some other equally boring topic if Eames was remembering correctly. He'd honestly rather be shot than read anything like it, but Arthur was, unsurprisingly, completely enthralled. He'd spent nearly 20 minutes rambling about it during lunch. Eames hadn't understood half of what he'd said but had listened intently nonetheless; he didn't need to understand the concepts to enjoy Arthur's excitement. 

He kissed Arthur's temple lightly, eliciting a small contented hum from him, and looked out over the buildings. The view from their room was truly remarkable. He'd insisted on finding one of Venice's nicest hotels when they'd decided to visit, they could certainly afford it after their last job, and it was unquestionably worth the price. The hotel was on the Grand Canal, and they had a direct view of the Basilica from their balcony. It was an impressive building, the setting sun painting it a brilliant orange. Somewhere below them Eames could hear a gondolier singing, the sound drifting up slowly through the warm evening air. When he'd visited the last time the singing had actually annoyed him a little- especially when he was trying to sleep- but now, with Arthur laying against him as they both relaxed on the balcony couch, it was perfect.

Eames honestly hadn't been particularly impressed by Venice the first time he visited. It was pretty, he wouldn't deny that, but so were a lot of places he'd been. Everyone had told him it was beautifully romantic but he'd found it overrated, full of tourists and odd smells coming from canals. It certainly wasn't a bad city and he'd enjoyed his time there, but he simply didn't understand the hype.

He understood a bit better now.

See, traveling with Arthur had taught him something. As exhilarating and fun as traveling world alone was, there was a special joy to traveling it with another person. With someone you loved. It lent a particular beauty to the mundane. The sweeping sights and grand attractions were as impressive as ever, but they had long stopped being his favourite parts of the cities they travelled to. Instead, Eames found himself treasuring how Arthur had grabbed his hand and excitedly set off through the small open air market they'd stumbled upon in Marrakech, examining each stall with interest. Or how he'd fallen asleep in the movie theater in Berlin, head resting on Eames' shoulder, despite having _insisted_ he wasn't tired right before the show had started. Or how he'd laughed and kissed Eames as they'd waited under an awning in Prague for the rain to stop, both of them already soaked because they'd forgotten to bring an umbrella. 

And Venice? Venice was _beautiful_ with Arthur. Eames saw its beauty as Arthur explained to him how the canal system worked and how the city had been constructed as they wandered through the streets with no particular destination in mind. He saw it when the breeze ruffled Arthur's hair as they both sat drinking overpriced cappuccinos at a tiny cafe. Saw it when the early morning sunlight streaked across Arthur's skin as he laid in their bed, features soft with sleep, the first notes of a gondolier's song floating in through the open window. The city still had all of the things that had annoyed him the first time he’d come, but none of them bothered him like they had before. Instead, they simply added to the beauty that he’d somehow missed the first time. 

"Care to share your thoughts?"

Eames glanced down. Arthur had closed his book and was looking up at him. "Just thinking about how beautiful this city is." Arthur hummed in agreement and rested his head back against Eames' chest, staring out over the canal. Eames ran a hand through his hair. They'd stayed in all day so it was loose and unkempt, far messier than Arthur would ever allow it to be if he were going out. It was one of Eames' favourite looks on him; he loved him in a suit- _god_ he loved him in a suit- but there was a soft intimacy in Arthur allowing himself to be messy and imperfect that Eames treasured. "You know, I actually wasn't that big a fan the first time I visited."

"Really?" Arthur slipped his hand into Eames', intertwining their fingers.

"Yeah. Thought it was overrated."

"What changed?"

"You did." He brought Arthur's hand up to his mouth, kissing the back of it lightly. "You make it beautiful."

Arthur laughed, and Eames could see him blushing slightly. "You're an incurable romantic."

"Hm, only around you." Arthur laughed again and Eames grinned, pulling him closer. His free hand drifted down to his pocket. He could feel the two rings through the fabric, the gold warm from the heat of their bodies when he slipped his hand inside. He'd been carrying them around for weeks now, waiting for the right moment.

"Have I told you I love you yet today?" 

Eames looked back down, still grinning. "You have, but I wouldn't be opposed to hearing it again."

"I love you." Arthur's voice grew quiet. "I love you more than I thought it was possible to love someone. Every day I think I must've reached the limit of how much I could possibly love you, and every day I find myself somehow loving you more." He laughed softly. "I spend so much of my time creating paradoxes, and yet that's one I've never been able to figure out."

The warmth that spread through Eames’ chest was strong enough that he had to pause, breath catching in his throat slightly as he searched for his voice again. “I love you too.” His hand closed around the rings in his pocket. “I’m _happy_ with you. Happier than I have any right to be.” He took a breath, heart pounding in his chest. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Will you marry me?” Arthur sat up slightly, turning to look at Eames with wide eyes. Eames pulled the rings out of his pocket and Arthur looked down at them, expression disbelieving. “I love you more than anything, Arthur. You make the world more beautiful than I thought possible and if there’s anything I know, it’s that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Arthur kissed him, pulling Eames in as he turned to face him more fully until he was kneeling between Eames’ legs, gripping his shirt and kissing him like they’d never see each other again. When he finally pulled back Eames could see he was smiling. “Yes. God, yes.” He rested his forehead against Eames’, hands cupping the sides of his face gently. “Yes, I’ll marry you. A thousand times over.” Eames took Arthur’s hand and gently slid the ring on his finger, Arthur moving back further and watching the movement with more disbelief. After a moment he pulled Eames into a hug, burying his face against his neck. “I’m going to be your _husband_.”

Eames held him close. _Husband_. The word left him breathless, warmth exploding in his chest again. “Yeah,” he finally managed after a moment. “You are. You’re going to be my husband.” He took a deep breath, feeling giddy as the realization set in. He’d asked Arthur to marry him. He’d asked him and Arthur had said _yes_. “And I’m going to be yours.” He paused, smiling when he realized his neck felt slightly damp. "Are you crying?"

"Maybe a little." Arthur laughed slightly, his voice muffled against Eames' skin. "You're not allowed to tell anyone that. I have a reputation to uphold, you know."

Eames blinked, his own vision getting slightly misty. "I guess it'll just have to stay between us then." They stayed like that for a moment longer before Arthur shifted, moving so that he was nestled against Eames' side. Eames wrapped his arms around him, smiling as he felt Arthur's hand in his, their rings clinking together softly. Arthur had always seemed to fit perfectly in his arms, like he was meant to be there, and it'd never felt more perfect, more _natural_ , than it did now. And the knowledge that he'd get to do this for the rest of their lives only made it sweeter.

They watched the sun finish setting in silence. It was the most beautiful one Eames had ever seen, though he suspected that had less to do with the actual sunset and more to do with Arthur- his _fiancé_ , god it felt wonderful to use that word- curled up next to him. As the last of the sun's rays disappeared over the horizon Arthur looked up at him, expression still awed. "Is this actually happening? Is it real?"

Eames didn't answer, he just leaned in and kissed Arthur again, slowly and deeply, trying to fill it with all the unspoken promises of a future together. And somewhere, down on the water below, a gondolier began singing.

**Author's Note:**

> the title is came from [this post](https://4ce-in-sp4ce.tumblr.com/post/628279001294798848/arthur-and-eames-have-perchance-to-dream) I made


End file.
